My Neighbour Satoshi (Ohno Ex 2017)
Jun. 15th, 2018 03:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
duckyshimetaiTitle: My Neighbour Satoshi
Pairing: Tennen (Ohno /Aiba)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Summary: Aiba is a radio DJ, and he gradually falls in love with the voice of one of his frequent callers. On the other hand, one of his new neighbours is pretty cute, too, but very quiet. Aiba struggles with his feelings. Which one will he pick?
Author's notes: Dearpiggywhale, I fell in love with that prompt of yours, and I'm so glad to be able to write it for you. I hope you like it! Many thanks to my beta, who was amazingly fast and prompt, and a friend, without whom I wouldn't have been able to complete it. Thank you both ♥
*********************************************
“Good morning, everyone! My name is Aiba Masaki and I’ll be accompanying you on this bright and sunny morning. Thank you for joining us today here on The AM Show.”
Aiba turns and nods with a smile as his partner, Ninomiya Kazunari, speaks into the microphone.
“Hi, I’m Nino, and today, we’re going to be talking about ‘New Experiences’!”
Aiba rambles on happily with Nino, until the staff gives him a signal.
“It’s now time for Ask Aiba, the corner where listeners can call in to ask any question they have. Here’s our first caller of the day! Hello!”
“H-hello?” It is a shy, shaky voice. Strangely, it gives Aiba the image of a baby animal taking its first steps.
“Hi there! Could you please give us your name?” Aiba asks encouragingly.
“S-Samii. You can call me Samii.”
“Hey there, Samii. Would you like to ask your question?”
“Hi, Aiba-san. My question is about moving. It’s the first time that I’ve moved house over such a great distance, and I wanted to ask you, Aiba-san, how do you cope with being scared of living in a new place?”
Aiba ponders this, and recalls the times he had moved house when he was younger.
“I would always try to think positively. Moving to new places may mean leaving old friends behind, but it also means new friends! And also, maybe, different types of yummy food to try, or games to play, and so on. Please stay positive, Samii! And maybe you will have great neighbours and make friends with them! I hope this helps!”
“Thank you, Aiba-san!”
“Thank you for your participation, Samii. We hope to hear from you again!”
Aiba hangs up with a smile as Nino watches.
=====
Humming to himself, Aiba walks across the garden to his front door. Sounds of heavy lifting float over from the garden next door.
“Ooh, new neighbours!” Aiba thinks to himself. The house next door has been empty for a while, so he’s happy that there are people finally moving in.
He goes over to the fence between their gardens to say hi to the two men he sees there. Some of the boxes look quite heavy.
“Hello! Would you guys like some help with that?” Despite being exhausted from the day’s work and the harrowing journey back on public transport, Aiba is immediately happy at the prospect of helping people.
“Oh, hello!” The taller of the two men smile back at him. “That would be great, thank you so much for offering! There are a few more boxes here, and they really are quite heavy.”
Aiba immediately goes over after putting his things down in his house.
The remaining boxes are shifted in a jiffy thanks to Aiba’s help. Wiping his brow, the first man thanks Aiba profusely. Aiba shakes his head.
“It was nothing, really. Neighbours should help each other, right?”
He beams, and the others light up, too.
“By the way, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Aiba Masaki!”
“Ah, Aiba-san. I’m Sakurai Sho, and this is Ohno Satoshi. He doesn’t like to talk much, so I’m really sorry if he seems rude, but he’s just shy.”
A nod from the other man confirms this statement. As Aiba grins, he can’t help thinking, “Hey, he’s quite cute!” but keeps it to himself.
“Thank you so much for your help, though. I don’t know what we’d have done without you, Aiba-san,” Sho says gratefully. “I do wish we could invite you in to sit down and have a drink, but the furniture isn’t unpacked yet. We’ll definitely invite you over the moment things are ready!”
Aiba nods happily and takes his leave.
=====
Sho is as good as his word, and a few days later, Aiba hears his doorbell ring. He opens it to find Ohno standing shyly outside, holding out a white envelope addressed to him. Aiba takes it and thanks him, getting ready to close the door again, but Ohno puts his foot in the way and shakes his head.
Slightly puzzled, Aiba looks questioningly at Satoshi, who points at the envelope.
“You want me to open it now?” Aiba is bemused, but decides to oblige his neighbour.
Inside the envelope is an invitation with a detailed hand-painted picture of a teapot beside a slice of cake.
Aiba smiles and flips it over. The handwriting is neat and elegant.
“Dear Aiba-san,
We would like to invite you to our home for some tea and cake this coming Saturday at 3pm. Please let Satoshi know if you will be able to come.
Regards,
Sakurai Sho and Ohno Satoshi”
“Oh, I see!” Aiba laughs. “Yes, I would love to come. Thank you so much!”
Ohno grins too, and Aiba’s heart is captured once again by the sparkle in his eyes.
=====
“You’re in a good mood today,” Nino remarks, raising an eyebrow and leaning back in his seat.
Aiba just smiles at him. “I’m always in a good mood.”
“Yeah, but today’s especially good.”
Aiba is saved from having to answer by the staff, who signal that they’ll be on air in a matter of seconds.
Nino gives him a look that says “you’re not getting out of this so easily” before joining in the playful banter for their listeners.
The topic of the day is “Sweets”, and Aiba is in his element.
“I love sweet things! But I also love karaage… Do you think anyone has ever tried karaage with a caramel glaze and whipped cream?” Aiba says wistfully.
“Where do you even get such thoughts from?” Nino sounds halfway between perplexed and amused.
“Masaki.com,” Aiba replies without any hint of hesitation. He grins at the face Nino makes.
“Anyway, without further ado, it’s time for Ask Aiba again! Hello!”
A voice he recognises floats down the line.
“H-hello! Oh, I can’t believe I got through again. I’m so happy.”
“Hi, Samii!” Aiba greets him excitedly. “What’s your opinion on sweets?”
“I love them.” The soft answer, tinged with happiness, comes down the line. “Especially cake and pastries. I actually wanted to be a baker when I was younger… but things happened.”
“Oh…” Aiba says empathetically, nodding even though Samii can’t see him. Samii continues, “It’s okay, though. I still bake in my free time, and maybe it’s better that way. My question is: what types of sweets are your favourite, Aiba-san? If you were to have them for tea?”
“Tea?” Aiba pauses, thinking. “Probably a cheese brownie? I had some once, a long time ago, but I don’t know if I can find the shop again. It’s something like cheesecake marbled with brownie batter and baked together.”
Licking his lips at the thought, he laughs. “Nino, what about you?”
Nino takes his cue and replies, “I’m not really fond of sweets myself, but I’ll eat a good melon pan any day. Well, that’s your question, so thank you for calling in, Samii, and goodbye.”
A hurried “Thank you, goodbye!” comes from the other end as Nino hangs up with a click.
Aiba does the rest of the show on autopilot, the smile never leaving his face.
=====
Saturday eventually rolls around, and Aiba shyly rings his neighbours’ doorbell at the appointed time.The fragrant smell of baking wafts out of a nearby window as he waits, and it gives Aiba a sense of home. The package dangling limply from his hand suddenly seems to pale in comparison, and Aiba is debating whether to go home to hide it when Sho opens the door.
“Satoshi just took the last tray out of the oven, but please come in and make yourself comfortable!”
Aiba follows Sho to their living room. It has already been decorated beautifully, with a few beautiful paintings on the wall. As Aiba admires them out loud, Ohno walks into the room with cheeks bright red in embarrassment.
Sho notices and laughs. “By the way, Aiba-san, those paintings are done by Satoshi here.” He says it in the tone of a proud parent. Ohno’s gaze flits around like a butterfly, trying to land anywhere except on the people in the room. Aiba lets out an enthusiastic exclamation.
“You did them yourself? That’s so amazing!”
Ohno nods, his face crimson, and busies himself with setting out the tea things. Aiba remembers his contribution, and holds it up to Sho.
“Sho-chan, I brought these to share. It’s macarons!”
Sho looks a little baffled at the new nickname, but lets it pass as he accepts the treats with thanks.
The packaging catches Sho’s eye, and his jaw drops. “Aiba-chan, are these… from the Bambino Bakery?”
The Bambino Bakery, famous for its long queues, short opening hours, extravagant prices, and exquisite sweets that make it all worthwhile? is what Sho means, and Aiba reads it all from his eyes.
Aiba nods. “A friend of a friend works there, and he got them for me, so I thought it would be nice to share at our tea party.”
Sho’s eyes are almost tearing up with joy. “That’s so nice of you! Thank you so much!”
“Although…” he continues, swivelling to look at the table. “Satoshi did bake quite a bit today.”
Aiba looks over as well, and his heart swells with joy. He sees a plate of brownies, a plate of cheesecake, and, to his utmost delight, a plate of cheese brownies.
“How did you know that I liked cheese brownies?” Aiba gasps, turning towards Ohno who shrugs silently. Sho answers for him.
“He told me he heard someone describing it on the radio the other day and it sounded interesting… and he prepared the cheesecake and brownies separately, in case the cheese brownies didn’t turn out well.”
Ohno nods, and the three of them sit down to eat. He doesn’t say a word the entire time, but Sho and Aiba are quiet for a while too as their mouths are occupied with the sweet treats.
Aiba nearly moans in ecstasy as the first bite melts over his tongue. He can’t stop praising Ohno’s baking after that, and Ohno seems genuinely happy if a little embarrassed.
Sho in turn waxes lyrical about the macarons, and Ohno nods vigorously in agreement. All in all, they have an enjoyable tea party and a relaxing chat afterwards.
Aiba finds out that they tutor deaf-mute children for a living. The house beside Aiba’s is perfect as a makeshift school, as it is large enough yet affordable, having been on the market for a while. Aiba can’t wait to see the children when they come to receive lessons, and Sho promises to let him know.
After Aiba gets home, he sends a text to Nino. They really liked the macarons! When can Jun get them again?
Nino’s reply is quick. When can you treat me to dinner again?
Aiba chuckles as he types in a reply.
=====
Aiba happens to see Ohno one day as he is leaving his house. The latter is sitting at a small wooden table on the front porch, painting a few flashcards. His tongue is poking out a little in concentration, and the sight is so adorable Aiba lets out a little involuntary giggle.
Ohno looks up like a startled rabbit, and Aiba’s heart melts. Glancing at his watch, Aiba sighs inwardly - all he has time for is a little wave. Ohno returns it with a smile, and goes back to his painting.
Aiba goes to work with an extra skip in his step that morning.
=====
“My, oh, my, today’s topic is really interesting. It’s “Crazy Experiments”! We were all young once, weren’t we, Aiba-chan? And I’m pretty sure you would have done quite a few of your own!” Nino wiggles his eyebrows meaningfully at Aiba, knowing that the listeners would not be able to see it.
Taking the cue, Aiba leans close to his microphone.
“Well, as it happens, I do have some experience in that department…”
He goes on to describe in great detail some things he did when he was younger - most notably holding a competition between a chestnut and a sea urchin, to see which was “stronger”. There were three contests - seeing which was more painful when tossed between two people at increasing distances; dropping them down two identical pillars of balloons at the same time; and then dropping them on various things to see what they would stick on, including styrofoam, a daikon, and others.
Nino laughs along, pausing at the end to ask Aiba, “So who won?”
Aiba-chan giggles. “Both were strong, but the sea urchin won by a bit! It managed to pierce through the aluminium can so that there was a tiny hole!”
Nino expresses his awe, and smoothly transitions to Ask Aiba after that.
Aiba is initially his usual happy self, but as the minutes pass, his tension slowly drops. It’s not obvious to the listeners, who can only hear Aiba’s voice, but Nino can see his body language. He suspects he must be waiting for a specific someone to call in, and his guess is confirmed when Aiba perks up immediately at the sound of Samii’s voice.
=====
Gradually, Aiba falls into the habit of having tea with his neighbours once a week.
At one of these sessions, they have cheese tarts baked by Ohno himself. When Aiba bites into one, his mouth is filled with complex and delightful flavours. He blinks a little, registering the taste, and declares, “These are the best cheese tarts I’ve ever eaten!”
Ohno smiles shyly, evidently glad at his reaction. Sho tucks in with the same gusto.
After a while, when Ohno leaves to use the bathroom, Sho leans over to whisper to Aiba.
“He must like you a lot. He doesn’t bake cheese tarts for just anyone.”
Aiba giggles, and heat creeps into his face. “Really?”
Straightening up, Sho nods and says firmly, “Yes. Even I don’t get to eat them all that often.”
Ohno comes back, with a questioning look on his face at the two.
Sho smiles and tells him, “We were just talking about how much we enjoyed the cheese tarts.” Aiba nods vigorously in agreement. Ohno is pleased.
=====
After a few times of seeing Aiba listen out for Samii’s call, Nino stops Aiba after work one day.
“Aiba-chan,” he says, then pauses, thinking of how to better phrase what he’s about to say next.
“Hmm?” Aiba looks over expectantly.
Nino sighs and decides to go the direct way. “You know how you always wait for someone to call in?”
“Aren’t people supposed to call in for Ask Aiba?”
Nino rolls his eyes. “I’m talking about Samii, Aiba-chan. You always seem to be waiting for him.”
“His voice is just so beautiful, Nino. And the things he talks about - they just click with me.”
Aiba goes on for a while before Nino stops him.
“How about that neighbour you’re always telling me about? The quiet one that bakes.”
Aiba lets out a little huff, thinking hard about it.
“I don’t know, Nino, I really don’t.”
He remembers a few of the quiet times they shared - a stark contrast to his day job as a radio personality, where he is expected to fill the hours with lively chatter. Around Ohno, he doesn’t need to say anything. The air surrounding them is filled with something deeper than anything that words can match up to.
Nino nods, the slight frown easing off his face. It’s not difficult for Aiba to make friends, but Nino gets slightly worried at times that Aiba’s “friends” might just want to take advantage of his trusting personality.
“I’m glad that you have someone you like, Aiba-chan. Just… be careful, okay?”
=====
As Aiba walks around his garden inhaling the fresh morning air on one of his days off, a blue paper plane sails past him and lands on the grass. Picking it up, he turns to look at the direction from which it came.
He spies Ohno waving at him innocently, a stack of colourful papers on the table behind him, and a cluster of children hanging around his legs. Laughing, Aiba brings the aeroplane to the low wall that separated the gardens.
“You’re having a lesson?” Aiba asks. Ohno nods and grins.
“Origami?”
Another nod.
“Where’s Sho-chan?”
Ohno points at the house. A child tugs at his shirt, prompting him to look down while the child signs.
[Ohno-sensei, who is that?]
Ohno replies with his hands. [My neighbour. Aiba-san.]
[Can we get the aeroplane back?]
[Sure, but say thank you.]
The child runs to the low wall and holds out his hand. Aiba places the aeroplane on it, and the child signs at him.
Sho steps out of the house just then, and Aiba waves him over.
“Sho-chan, Sho-chan, what does this sign mean?”
Aiba attempts to repeat it. Sho chuckles and says, “It means ‘thank you’.”
Aiba laughs and says to the child, “You’re welcome!” The child nods and runs back to the rest of the children with his prize.
Sho looks on fondly and says, “Ohno’s really good at origami, and his planes fly really far. It’s a great way to engage the children.”
He nods and continues, “Aiba-chan, do you want to join us?”
Aiba agrees immediately.
The children are greatly entertained by Aiba’s attempts to learn the sign language, as well as his creative ways of folding paper. They hold a little competition, and Aiba makes a mental note to pick up all the paper from his garden before the next time it rains.
All in all, the children quickly grow to enjoy his presence, and Aiba finds himself enjoying it immensely as well. Over the next few months, he slowly becomes a regular presence at their lessons.
As time passes, the children sense something different about their teacher whenever Aiba-san joins. He seems happier, and brighter, and he looks at Aiba-san a lot. The children discuss silently among themselves, and one of them decides to investigate.
Bringing Ohno to one corner, she signs to him.
[Ohno-sensei, do you love Aiba-san?]
Stealing a quick glance at Aiba, who doesn’t seem to be looking, Ohno nods. Satisfied, the child goes back to report to her classmates.
=====
“Sho-chan…I was wondering...” Aiba wonders how to phrase his question one day, when Ohno is busy in the kitchen.
“Yes?” Sho looks up from the cheesecake that he is delicately cutting.
“How did you and Oh-chan meet?” By now, Aiba has a nickname for Ohno as well, and Ohno seems happy when he uses it.
“Oh, we were neighbours when we were young. We grew up together and he’s like a brother to me. ” Aiba unconsciously lets out a sigh of relief, which Sho catches on to.
“Why? Are you perhaps...interested in him?” Sho’s eyes sparkle mischievously, while Aiba denies it.
In his heart is a different story, though. The line defining Aiba’s feelings towards Ohno has never been clear, but after that moment, when Aiba starts questioning himself, the distinction becomes even more blurred. Aiba almost laughs at the irony of being torn between a disembodied voice and a voiceless man. The thought that they might be the same person flitted across his mind, but he dismissed it. After all, what were the odds?
=====
“Good morning, everyone! Today we’re going to talk about a topic most voted on by listeners - love and romance.”
Nino grins and winks at Aiba, who refuses to make eye contact. Aiba does feel a warm blush creeping over his face, though, and talks quickly to distract himself from it.
“Some of our listeners wrote in to ask various questions about this topic. Here are some of the common ones - how do you know when you’re in love with someone? And what would you do if they didn’t know? Would you tell them?”
As he goes through the list, Aiba can feel his heart beating faster and his mouth getting dry. He finds himself actually considering these questions in relation to his current situation, and shakes his head a little to clear it.
He can’t afford to drift away in the middle of a radio session. From the look Nino is giving him, he realises that he is barely managing to stay in the present.
The time for Ask Aiba starts, and Aiba squirms, realising that he is silently praying for a certain someone not to call today. As caller after caller ask their questions, which thankfully weren’t too difficult, Aiba starts to relax, and even manages to make a joke or two with Nino.
In a blink of an eye, the time for their last caller approaches, and Aiba’s guard is down enough to pick it up. The moment he hears the voice, however, he freezes.
“Good morning, Aiba-san!” There is none of that hesitation from the first time he called in, and Aiba suddenly feels that the shy baby animal has grown up. Mustering all his courage, Aiba says, “Good morning, Samii! Do you have a question?”
Aiba mentally smacks himself as soon as he finishes speaking. Of course Samii has a question, it’s Ask Aiba after all.
Samii chuckles, and the sound makes Aiba feel a little better. However, Aiba is not prepared to hear the next words.
“Aiba-san, I’m really happy to get to ask you this question. Actually, there is someone I like.”
Aiba’s heart contracts painfully and he looks weakly at Nino for help. Nino slides a comforting hand over to give a squeeze - there’s not much else he can do until the programme ends for the day. Samii, not being able to see the impact he has on Aiba, carries on.
“I’m actually not brave enough to tell them. In fact, I don’t even dare to talk to them when I see them.”
At this point, Aiba’s indignance wins over his heartbreak, and he blurts out, “Why not? You have a wonderful voice.”
“R-Really?” Samii sounds pleasantly surprised. “Thank you, Aiba-san. But my question is, what should I do?”
Aiba takes a couple of calming breaths, steeling himself for what he is going to say. He won’t be able to take it back after he says it, but he prioritises the feelings of listeners even over his own.
“Samii-chan. Man to man, I would advise you to tell them. They wouldn’t know how you feel if you don’t talk to them, right?”
He can almost imagine Samii nodding earnestly at the other end of the line.
“But you might be scared that they’ll reject you, right? Don’t worry though, if… if they do, then at least you can move on. You can always still call back...”
Aiba’s voice fades to a whisper by the end, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about any more, and Nino takes over.
“Thank you very much for calling in today, Samii. We wish you all the best of luck.”
“Thank you too, Nino-san and Aiba-san.”
Nino hangs up and delivers the ending line.
“Now remember, all you listeners out there, Ask Aiba is the time when any of you can call in and ask a question. We at the AM Show hope to have your continued support. Thank you for tuning in, and have a good day.”
They go off the air, and Nino removes both their headphones. Aiba’s hands dangle limply at his sides, and he is slumped back in his seat.
“You okay?” he asks, despite the look on Aiba’s face telling him that they both know he isn’t.
Aiba nods uncertainly, his instinct of not wanting to worry Nino battling with his self-pity and heartbreak.
He doesn’t know how, but the two of them make it through work to the end of the evening. Thankfully, it’s mostly scripts and advertisements, and no further acting on Aiba’s part is required. He is completely drained, just going through the motions.
“Come on, pull yourself together.” Nino says sharply. He doesn’t like the faded, far-away look Aiba has in his eyes. He’s seen it a few times before in his long friendship with the man, and he can read it well by now.
It is the look of a completely heartbroken Aiba, and Nino knows what’s coming next.
“I’m going to drink.” Aiba gets unsteadily to his feet and gathers up his things.
There it is. Nino doesn’t feel any triumph in predicting it, though. He cancels his plans for the night - the only other party involved is his game console, anyway - and silently walks with Aiba out of the building.
With any luck, Aiba wouldn’t drink himself useless, but Nino knows it’s better not to take chances. The previous time he did, Aiba hadn’t been able to get home by himself, and Nino hates to think what could have happened if he hadn’t been awake playing games late into the night when Aiba called.
=====
Luck is not smiling on Nino that day, though, and he curses to himself as he sees Aiba reach for mug after mug. Nino’s efforts to stop him are rebuffed, and he eventually sits there listening to Aiba’s drunken babbling and making sympathetic noises at appropriate intervals. Finally, when Nino manages to get Aiba away from the alcohol, Aiba is no longer coherent.
When they arrive at the street corner near Aiba’s house late that night in a cab, Aiba is completely knocked out. Nino pays the fare out of Aiba’s wallet, and hoists Aiba out of the back seat with a grunt.
Up in the second floor of his house, Ohno is working late at night, focused on a special painting. He gets up to stretch his tired back muscles and glances out of the window in the direction of Aiba’s doorstep out of habit - a habit he picked up shortly after getting to know his sunny neighbour. What he sees then surprises him.
A figure that looks suspiciously like Aiba is slumped over another, smaller man. They are nearly at Aiba’s doorstep, and the smaller man is staggering slightly with the effort. He manages to get a hand into Aiba’s pocket and rummages around, trying to find his house key.
Ohno doesn’t stop to think, and he rushes downstairs, whipping open the front door in a flash. Sho hears Ohno’s footsteps from the kitchen, where he is enjoying a cup of late-night hot chocolate, and follows him out the door a few seconds later.
The sudden sound of the neighbour’s door opening startles the smaller man, who almost drops Aiba, but manages to retain his hold.
The neighbours rush over and take over from Nino, who breathes a sigh of relief.
“Are you the Oh-chan and Sho-chan that Aiba’s always talking about?” Nino asks when he has caught his breath.
Sho introduces the two of them while Ohno nods. Nino relaxes, and the remaining creases of faint worry leave his face. He knows Aiba will be safe with them.
After installing Aiba in one of their beds, Nino makes his way home, waving away Sho’s protests.
=====
In the morning, Aiba opens his eyes to find that the pillow he was hugging in bed was warm and breathing. He decides that he probably had too much to drink the previous night, and tries to sit up.
The room is familiar, but it’s not his, and he corrects himself mentally. He definitely had too much to drink the previous night.
He blinks, realising that the pillow is actually one of his neighbours, and lets out a yelp.
“Oh-chan!”
Aiba nearly jumps out of bed, but the throbbing pain in his head has other ideas. He slumps back onto the bed, while Ohno gets up and tucks him back in.
“How did I get here? Did...did anything happen?”
He can’t read anything from the mysterious look in Ohno’s eyes, and his pounding head refuses to remember any of the sign language that he’d picked up so far, so he decides to wait for Sho to come and explain. At any rate, Aiba is relieved to find himself fully clothed. Ohno goes out of the room.
Sho comes in shortly with a glass of water, and says, “Satoshi is making scrambled eggs now. Are you okay? What happened last night?”
Aiba accepts the water gratefully and downs it while trying to fight through the haze in his mind.
“I… I don’t know, actually. I needed to clear my mind. I thought I liked someone, but they said… they already have someone they like.”
Sho nods, biting back the reprimand about drinking not solving problems that threatens to escape his lips. Instead, he listens as Aiba rambles on.
Realisation dawns on Sho’s face as Aiba describes Samii. When he gets to the part where Samii asked him for advice, Sho pats his hand soothingly and murmurs, “You did the right thing, Aiba-chan.”
“But that’s not all,” Aiba says, and explains his feelings towards Ohno as well.
Sho hums a little when Aiba finishes, and tells him to rest. “You’ve been through a lot, Aiba-chan, and thank you for sharing it with me.”
At that moment, Ohno brings in a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, motioning slightly at Sho, who gets up to eat his own portion at the dining area.
Aiba turns away slightly, tired from his explanations, but Ohno perches on Aiba’s side of the bed and holds a spoonful of egg towards his mouth. Aiba feels himself blushing, but accepts it. It is in this way that he finishes a plate of the fluffiest scrambled eggs he has ever had, and he tells Ohno as much. Ohno beams in delight, and it warms Aiba’s heart.
=====
Fortunately, the next couple of days are Aiba’s days off, and he takes the time to recover back at home. He thanks Ohno and Sho for their help, as well as Nino, who cheekily says that their next meal together would be on Aiba.
Ohno and Sho pop by a couple of times, just to make sure that Aiba is alright.
“You should explain it to him, Aiba-chan,” Sho urges. “Remember your advice to Samii.”
Aiba nods, but something holds him back.
=====
Aiba-chan doesn’t find a chance to talk to Ohno properly, until one day when Ohno arrives at his doorstep carrying a large, flat parcel.
Aiba lets him in, and he carries it to the living room, where he motions Aiba to unwrap it. Aiba does so, and inside is a beautiful painting that makes Aiba’s eyes moisten just a little.
There is also a note, and Aiba reads it out.
“Dear Aiba-chan,
I heard you admiring the paintings in our living room and I thought you might want one for yours, too.
Yours,
Ohno Satoshi
P.S. I like you.”
Aiba gasps a little when he reaches the end, and emotions swirl in his heart - mainly warm love for this sweet man, and regret that he was not completely invested in him, just because of a beautiful voice whose face he couldn’t see.
He decides to come clean to Ohno, seeing as it wouldn’t be fair to him because he also had feelings for Samii, so he sits both of them down into the couch.
Ohno’s eyes grow large in amazement while Aiba’s words flow out like a waterfall., Ohno takes some time to absorb it. As Aiba lapses into his final spiel, Ohno opens his mouth and stops him, saying, “Aiba-chan, wait,” and it shocks Aiba into silence.
It takes some time until Aiba manages to form coherent words. “You... you’re Samii?”
Internally, he slaps himself. He should have known that Ohno can speak, since Sho’s always telling him things that Ohno’s been saying. It’s just that this really is the first time Aiba is hearing Ohno’s voice, as well as seeing Samii’s voice come out of a real live person. Finding out that both the people whom he’s been having feelings for are simply one and the same - that is just a little much for Aiba to handle, and he needs some time.
Ohno smiles and nods in answer.
After a while, when Aiba has calmed down sufficiently, Ohno remembers the purpose of his visit.
He says slowly, “Remember you said to be brave and tell the person that I like them?”
Aiba nods, not daring to believe it.
Ohno isn’t done yet. “By the way, Aiba-chan, there’s always one question that I wanted to ask on Ask Aiba, but I never could.”
Ohno hesitates, and Aiba looks at him curiously. Taking a deep breath, Ohno dives in.
“Aiba-chan… will you be mine?”
A huge grin spreads over Aiba’s lips. “Yes,” he says, leaning into a kiss.
THE END
Pairing: Tennen (Ohno /Aiba)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Summary: Aiba is a radio DJ, and he gradually falls in love with the voice of one of his frequent callers. On the other hand, one of his new neighbours is pretty cute, too, but very quiet. Aiba struggles with his feelings. Which one will he pick?
Author's notes: Dear
piggywhale, I fell in love with that prompt of yours, and I'm so glad to be able to write it for you. I hope you like it! Many thanks to my beta, who was amazingly fast and prompt, and a friend, without whom I wouldn't have been able to complete it. Thank you both ♥*********************************************
“Good morning, everyone! My name is Aiba Masaki and I’ll be accompanying you on this bright and sunny morning. Thank you for joining us today here on The AM Show.”
Aiba turns and nods with a smile as his partner, Ninomiya Kazunari, speaks into the microphone.
“Hi, I’m Nino, and today, we’re going to be talking about ‘New Experiences’!”
Aiba rambles on happily with Nino, until the staff gives him a signal.
“It’s now time for Ask Aiba, the corner where listeners can call in to ask any question they have. Here’s our first caller of the day! Hello!”
“H-hello?” It is a shy, shaky voice. Strangely, it gives Aiba the image of a baby animal taking its first steps.
“Hi there! Could you please give us your name?” Aiba asks encouragingly.
“S-Samii. You can call me Samii.”
“Hey there, Samii. Would you like to ask your question?”
“Hi, Aiba-san. My question is about moving. It’s the first time that I’ve moved house over such a great distance, and I wanted to ask you, Aiba-san, how do you cope with being scared of living in a new place?”
Aiba ponders this, and recalls the times he had moved house when he was younger.
“I would always try to think positively. Moving to new places may mean leaving old friends behind, but it also means new friends! And also, maybe, different types of yummy food to try, or games to play, and so on. Please stay positive, Samii! And maybe you will have great neighbours and make friends with them! I hope this helps!”
“Thank you, Aiba-san!”
“Thank you for your participation, Samii. We hope to hear from you again!”
Aiba hangs up with a smile as Nino watches.
=====
Humming to himself, Aiba walks across the garden to his front door. Sounds of heavy lifting float over from the garden next door.
“Ooh, new neighbours!” Aiba thinks to himself. The house next door has been empty for a while, so he’s happy that there are people finally moving in.
He goes over to the fence between their gardens to say hi to the two men he sees there. Some of the boxes look quite heavy.
“Hello! Would you guys like some help with that?” Despite being exhausted from the day’s work and the harrowing journey back on public transport, Aiba is immediately happy at the prospect of helping people.
“Oh, hello!” The taller of the two men smile back at him. “That would be great, thank you so much for offering! There are a few more boxes here, and they really are quite heavy.”
Aiba immediately goes over after putting his things down in his house.
The remaining boxes are shifted in a jiffy thanks to Aiba’s help. Wiping his brow, the first man thanks Aiba profusely. Aiba shakes his head.
“It was nothing, really. Neighbours should help each other, right?”
He beams, and the others light up, too.
“By the way, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Aiba Masaki!”
“Ah, Aiba-san. I’m Sakurai Sho, and this is Ohno Satoshi. He doesn’t like to talk much, so I’m really sorry if he seems rude, but he’s just shy.”
A nod from the other man confirms this statement. As Aiba grins, he can’t help thinking, “Hey, he’s quite cute!” but keeps it to himself.
“Thank you so much for your help, though. I don’t know what we’d have done without you, Aiba-san,” Sho says gratefully. “I do wish we could invite you in to sit down and have a drink, but the furniture isn’t unpacked yet. We’ll definitely invite you over the moment things are ready!”
Aiba nods happily and takes his leave.
=====
Sho is as good as his word, and a few days later, Aiba hears his doorbell ring. He opens it to find Ohno standing shyly outside, holding out a white envelope addressed to him. Aiba takes it and thanks him, getting ready to close the door again, but Ohno puts his foot in the way and shakes his head.
Slightly puzzled, Aiba looks questioningly at Satoshi, who points at the envelope.
“You want me to open it now?” Aiba is bemused, but decides to oblige his neighbour.
Inside the envelope is an invitation with a detailed hand-painted picture of a teapot beside a slice of cake.
Aiba smiles and flips it over. The handwriting is neat and elegant.
“Dear Aiba-san,
We would like to invite you to our home for some tea and cake this coming Saturday at 3pm. Please let Satoshi know if you will be able to come.
Regards,
Sakurai Sho and Ohno Satoshi”
“Oh, I see!” Aiba laughs. “Yes, I would love to come. Thank you so much!”
Ohno grins too, and Aiba’s heart is captured once again by the sparkle in his eyes.
=====
“You’re in a good mood today,” Nino remarks, raising an eyebrow and leaning back in his seat.
Aiba just smiles at him. “I’m always in a good mood.”
“Yeah, but today’s especially good.”
Aiba is saved from having to answer by the staff, who signal that they’ll be on air in a matter of seconds.
Nino gives him a look that says “you’re not getting out of this so easily” before joining in the playful banter for their listeners.
The topic of the day is “Sweets”, and Aiba is in his element.
“I love sweet things! But I also love karaage… Do you think anyone has ever tried karaage with a caramel glaze and whipped cream?” Aiba says wistfully.
“Where do you even get such thoughts from?” Nino sounds halfway between perplexed and amused.
“Masaki.com,” Aiba replies without any hint of hesitation. He grins at the face Nino makes.
“Anyway, without further ado, it’s time for Ask Aiba again! Hello!”
A voice he recognises floats down the line.
“H-hello! Oh, I can’t believe I got through again. I’m so happy.”
“Hi, Samii!” Aiba greets him excitedly. “What’s your opinion on sweets?”
“I love them.” The soft answer, tinged with happiness, comes down the line. “Especially cake and pastries. I actually wanted to be a baker when I was younger… but things happened.”
“Oh…” Aiba says empathetically, nodding even though Samii can’t see him. Samii continues, “It’s okay, though. I still bake in my free time, and maybe it’s better that way. My question is: what types of sweets are your favourite, Aiba-san? If you were to have them for tea?”
“Tea?” Aiba pauses, thinking. “Probably a cheese brownie? I had some once, a long time ago, but I don’t know if I can find the shop again. It’s something like cheesecake marbled with brownie batter and baked together.”
Licking his lips at the thought, he laughs. “Nino, what about you?”
Nino takes his cue and replies, “I’m not really fond of sweets myself, but I’ll eat a good melon pan any day. Well, that’s your question, so thank you for calling in, Samii, and goodbye.”
A hurried “Thank you, goodbye!” comes from the other end as Nino hangs up with a click.
Aiba does the rest of the show on autopilot, the smile never leaving his face.
=====
Saturday eventually rolls around, and Aiba shyly rings his neighbours’ doorbell at the appointed time.The fragrant smell of baking wafts out of a nearby window as he waits, and it gives Aiba a sense of home. The package dangling limply from his hand suddenly seems to pale in comparison, and Aiba is debating whether to go home to hide it when Sho opens the door.
“Satoshi just took the last tray out of the oven, but please come in and make yourself comfortable!”
Aiba follows Sho to their living room. It has already been decorated beautifully, with a few beautiful paintings on the wall. As Aiba admires them out loud, Ohno walks into the room with cheeks bright red in embarrassment.
Sho notices and laughs. “By the way, Aiba-san, those paintings are done by Satoshi here.” He says it in the tone of a proud parent. Ohno’s gaze flits around like a butterfly, trying to land anywhere except on the people in the room. Aiba lets out an enthusiastic exclamation.
“You did them yourself? That’s so amazing!”
Ohno nods, his face crimson, and busies himself with setting out the tea things. Aiba remembers his contribution, and holds it up to Sho.
“Sho-chan, I brought these to share. It’s macarons!”
Sho looks a little baffled at the new nickname, but lets it pass as he accepts the treats with thanks.
The packaging catches Sho’s eye, and his jaw drops. “Aiba-chan, are these… from the Bambino Bakery?”
The Bambino Bakery, famous for its long queues, short opening hours, extravagant prices, and exquisite sweets that make it all worthwhile? is what Sho means, and Aiba reads it all from his eyes.
Aiba nods. “A friend of a friend works there, and he got them for me, so I thought it would be nice to share at our tea party.”
Sho’s eyes are almost tearing up with joy. “That’s so nice of you! Thank you so much!”
“Although…” he continues, swivelling to look at the table. “Satoshi did bake quite a bit today.”
Aiba looks over as well, and his heart swells with joy. He sees a plate of brownies, a plate of cheesecake, and, to his utmost delight, a plate of cheese brownies.
“How did you know that I liked cheese brownies?” Aiba gasps, turning towards Ohno who shrugs silently. Sho answers for him.
“He told me he heard someone describing it on the radio the other day and it sounded interesting… and he prepared the cheesecake and brownies separately, in case the cheese brownies didn’t turn out well.”
Ohno nods, and the three of them sit down to eat. He doesn’t say a word the entire time, but Sho and Aiba are quiet for a while too as their mouths are occupied with the sweet treats.
Aiba nearly moans in ecstasy as the first bite melts over his tongue. He can’t stop praising Ohno’s baking after that, and Ohno seems genuinely happy if a little embarrassed.
Sho in turn waxes lyrical about the macarons, and Ohno nods vigorously in agreement. All in all, they have an enjoyable tea party and a relaxing chat afterwards.
Aiba finds out that they tutor deaf-mute children for a living. The house beside Aiba’s is perfect as a makeshift school, as it is large enough yet affordable, having been on the market for a while. Aiba can’t wait to see the children when they come to receive lessons, and Sho promises to let him know.
After Aiba gets home, he sends a text to Nino. They really liked the macarons! When can Jun get them again?
Nino’s reply is quick. When can you treat me to dinner again?
Aiba chuckles as he types in a reply.
=====
Aiba happens to see Ohno one day as he is leaving his house. The latter is sitting at a small wooden table on the front porch, painting a few flashcards. His tongue is poking out a little in concentration, and the sight is so adorable Aiba lets out a little involuntary giggle.
Ohno looks up like a startled rabbit, and Aiba’s heart melts. Glancing at his watch, Aiba sighs inwardly - all he has time for is a little wave. Ohno returns it with a smile, and goes back to his painting.
Aiba goes to work with an extra skip in his step that morning.
=====
“My, oh, my, today’s topic is really interesting. It’s “Crazy Experiments”! We were all young once, weren’t we, Aiba-chan? And I’m pretty sure you would have done quite a few of your own!” Nino wiggles his eyebrows meaningfully at Aiba, knowing that the listeners would not be able to see it.
Taking the cue, Aiba leans close to his microphone.
“Well, as it happens, I do have some experience in that department…”
He goes on to describe in great detail some things he did when he was younger - most notably holding a competition between a chestnut and a sea urchin, to see which was “stronger”. There were three contests - seeing which was more painful when tossed between two people at increasing distances; dropping them down two identical pillars of balloons at the same time; and then dropping them on various things to see what they would stick on, including styrofoam, a daikon, and others.
Nino laughs along, pausing at the end to ask Aiba, “So who won?”
Aiba-chan giggles. “Both were strong, but the sea urchin won by a bit! It managed to pierce through the aluminium can so that there was a tiny hole!”
Nino expresses his awe, and smoothly transitions to Ask Aiba after that.
Aiba is initially his usual happy self, but as the minutes pass, his tension slowly drops. It’s not obvious to the listeners, who can only hear Aiba’s voice, but Nino can see his body language. He suspects he must be waiting for a specific someone to call in, and his guess is confirmed when Aiba perks up immediately at the sound of Samii’s voice.
=====
Gradually, Aiba falls into the habit of having tea with his neighbours once a week.
At one of these sessions, they have cheese tarts baked by Ohno himself. When Aiba bites into one, his mouth is filled with complex and delightful flavours. He blinks a little, registering the taste, and declares, “These are the best cheese tarts I’ve ever eaten!”
Ohno smiles shyly, evidently glad at his reaction. Sho tucks in with the same gusto.
After a while, when Ohno leaves to use the bathroom, Sho leans over to whisper to Aiba.
“He must like you a lot. He doesn’t bake cheese tarts for just anyone.”
Aiba giggles, and heat creeps into his face. “Really?”
Straightening up, Sho nods and says firmly, “Yes. Even I don’t get to eat them all that often.”
Ohno comes back, with a questioning look on his face at the two.
Sho smiles and tells him, “We were just talking about how much we enjoyed the cheese tarts.” Aiba nods vigorously in agreement. Ohno is pleased.
=====
After a few times of seeing Aiba listen out for Samii’s call, Nino stops Aiba after work one day.
“Aiba-chan,” he says, then pauses, thinking of how to better phrase what he’s about to say next.
“Hmm?” Aiba looks over expectantly.
Nino sighs and decides to go the direct way. “You know how you always wait for someone to call in?”
“Aren’t people supposed to call in for Ask Aiba?”
Nino rolls his eyes. “I’m talking about Samii, Aiba-chan. You always seem to be waiting for him.”
“His voice is just so beautiful, Nino. And the things he talks about - they just click with me.”
Aiba goes on for a while before Nino stops him.
“How about that neighbour you’re always telling me about? The quiet one that bakes.”
Aiba lets out a little huff, thinking hard about it.
“I don’t know, Nino, I really don’t.”
He remembers a few of the quiet times they shared - a stark contrast to his day job as a radio personality, where he is expected to fill the hours with lively chatter. Around Ohno, he doesn’t need to say anything. The air surrounding them is filled with something deeper than anything that words can match up to.
Nino nods, the slight frown easing off his face. It’s not difficult for Aiba to make friends, but Nino gets slightly worried at times that Aiba’s “friends” might just want to take advantage of his trusting personality.
“I’m glad that you have someone you like, Aiba-chan. Just… be careful, okay?”
=====
As Aiba walks around his garden inhaling the fresh morning air on one of his days off, a blue paper plane sails past him and lands on the grass. Picking it up, he turns to look at the direction from which it came.
He spies Ohno waving at him innocently, a stack of colourful papers on the table behind him, and a cluster of children hanging around his legs. Laughing, Aiba brings the aeroplane to the low wall that separated the gardens.
“You’re having a lesson?” Aiba asks. Ohno nods and grins.
“Origami?”
Another nod.
“Where’s Sho-chan?”
Ohno points at the house. A child tugs at his shirt, prompting him to look down while the child signs.
[Ohno-sensei, who is that?]
Ohno replies with his hands. [My neighbour. Aiba-san.]
[Can we get the aeroplane back?]
[Sure, but say thank you.]
The child runs to the low wall and holds out his hand. Aiba places the aeroplane on it, and the child signs at him.
Sho steps out of the house just then, and Aiba waves him over.
“Sho-chan, Sho-chan, what does this sign mean?”
Aiba attempts to repeat it. Sho chuckles and says, “It means ‘thank you’.”
Aiba laughs and says to the child, “You’re welcome!” The child nods and runs back to the rest of the children with his prize.
Sho looks on fondly and says, “Ohno’s really good at origami, and his planes fly really far. It’s a great way to engage the children.”
He nods and continues, “Aiba-chan, do you want to join us?”
Aiba agrees immediately.
The children are greatly entertained by Aiba’s attempts to learn the sign language, as well as his creative ways of folding paper. They hold a little competition, and Aiba makes a mental note to pick up all the paper from his garden before the next time it rains.
All in all, the children quickly grow to enjoy his presence, and Aiba finds himself enjoying it immensely as well. Over the next few months, he slowly becomes a regular presence at their lessons.
As time passes, the children sense something different about their teacher whenever Aiba-san joins. He seems happier, and brighter, and he looks at Aiba-san a lot. The children discuss silently among themselves, and one of them decides to investigate.
Bringing Ohno to one corner, she signs to him.
[Ohno-sensei, do you love Aiba-san?]
Stealing a quick glance at Aiba, who doesn’t seem to be looking, Ohno nods. Satisfied, the child goes back to report to her classmates.
=====
“Sho-chan…I was wondering...” Aiba wonders how to phrase his question one day, when Ohno is busy in the kitchen.
“Yes?” Sho looks up from the cheesecake that he is delicately cutting.
“How did you and Oh-chan meet?” By now, Aiba has a nickname for Ohno as well, and Ohno seems happy when he uses it.
“Oh, we were neighbours when we were young. We grew up together and he’s like a brother to me. ” Aiba unconsciously lets out a sigh of relief, which Sho catches on to.
“Why? Are you perhaps...interested in him?” Sho’s eyes sparkle mischievously, while Aiba denies it.
In his heart is a different story, though. The line defining Aiba’s feelings towards Ohno has never been clear, but after that moment, when Aiba starts questioning himself, the distinction becomes even more blurred. Aiba almost laughs at the irony of being torn between a disembodied voice and a voiceless man. The thought that they might be the same person flitted across his mind, but he dismissed it. After all, what were the odds?
=====
“Good morning, everyone! Today we’re going to talk about a topic most voted on by listeners - love and romance.”
Nino grins and winks at Aiba, who refuses to make eye contact. Aiba does feel a warm blush creeping over his face, though, and talks quickly to distract himself from it.
“Some of our listeners wrote in to ask various questions about this topic. Here are some of the common ones - how do you know when you’re in love with someone? And what would you do if they didn’t know? Would you tell them?”
As he goes through the list, Aiba can feel his heart beating faster and his mouth getting dry. He finds himself actually considering these questions in relation to his current situation, and shakes his head a little to clear it.
He can’t afford to drift away in the middle of a radio session. From the look Nino is giving him, he realises that he is barely managing to stay in the present.
The time for Ask Aiba starts, and Aiba squirms, realising that he is silently praying for a certain someone not to call today. As caller after caller ask their questions, which thankfully weren’t too difficult, Aiba starts to relax, and even manages to make a joke or two with Nino.
In a blink of an eye, the time for their last caller approaches, and Aiba’s guard is down enough to pick it up. The moment he hears the voice, however, he freezes.
“Good morning, Aiba-san!” There is none of that hesitation from the first time he called in, and Aiba suddenly feels that the shy baby animal has grown up. Mustering all his courage, Aiba says, “Good morning, Samii! Do you have a question?”
Aiba mentally smacks himself as soon as he finishes speaking. Of course Samii has a question, it’s Ask Aiba after all.
Samii chuckles, and the sound makes Aiba feel a little better. However, Aiba is not prepared to hear the next words.
“Aiba-san, I’m really happy to get to ask you this question. Actually, there is someone I like.”
Aiba’s heart contracts painfully and he looks weakly at Nino for help. Nino slides a comforting hand over to give a squeeze - there’s not much else he can do until the programme ends for the day. Samii, not being able to see the impact he has on Aiba, carries on.
“I’m actually not brave enough to tell them. In fact, I don’t even dare to talk to them when I see them.”
At this point, Aiba’s indignance wins over his heartbreak, and he blurts out, “Why not? You have a wonderful voice.”
“R-Really?” Samii sounds pleasantly surprised. “Thank you, Aiba-san. But my question is, what should I do?”
Aiba takes a couple of calming breaths, steeling himself for what he is going to say. He won’t be able to take it back after he says it, but he prioritises the feelings of listeners even over his own.
“Samii-chan. Man to man, I would advise you to tell them. They wouldn’t know how you feel if you don’t talk to them, right?”
He can almost imagine Samii nodding earnestly at the other end of the line.
“But you might be scared that they’ll reject you, right? Don’t worry though, if… if they do, then at least you can move on. You can always still call back...”
Aiba’s voice fades to a whisper by the end, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about any more, and Nino takes over.
“Thank you very much for calling in today, Samii. We wish you all the best of luck.”
“Thank you too, Nino-san and Aiba-san.”
Nino hangs up and delivers the ending line.
“Now remember, all you listeners out there, Ask Aiba is the time when any of you can call in and ask a question. We at the AM Show hope to have your continued support. Thank you for tuning in, and have a good day.”
They go off the air, and Nino removes both their headphones. Aiba’s hands dangle limply at his sides, and he is slumped back in his seat.
“You okay?” he asks, despite the look on Aiba’s face telling him that they both know he isn’t.
Aiba nods uncertainly, his instinct of not wanting to worry Nino battling with his self-pity and heartbreak.
He doesn’t know how, but the two of them make it through work to the end of the evening. Thankfully, it’s mostly scripts and advertisements, and no further acting on Aiba’s part is required. He is completely drained, just going through the motions.
“Come on, pull yourself together.” Nino says sharply. He doesn’t like the faded, far-away look Aiba has in his eyes. He’s seen it a few times before in his long friendship with the man, and he can read it well by now.
It is the look of a completely heartbroken Aiba, and Nino knows what’s coming next.
“I’m going to drink.” Aiba gets unsteadily to his feet and gathers up his things.
There it is. Nino doesn’t feel any triumph in predicting it, though. He cancels his plans for the night - the only other party involved is his game console, anyway - and silently walks with Aiba out of the building.
With any luck, Aiba wouldn’t drink himself useless, but Nino knows it’s better not to take chances. The previous time he did, Aiba hadn’t been able to get home by himself, and Nino hates to think what could have happened if he hadn’t been awake playing games late into the night when Aiba called.
=====
Luck is not smiling on Nino that day, though, and he curses to himself as he sees Aiba reach for mug after mug. Nino’s efforts to stop him are rebuffed, and he eventually sits there listening to Aiba’s drunken babbling and making sympathetic noises at appropriate intervals. Finally, when Nino manages to get Aiba away from the alcohol, Aiba is no longer coherent.
When they arrive at the street corner near Aiba’s house late that night in a cab, Aiba is completely knocked out. Nino pays the fare out of Aiba’s wallet, and hoists Aiba out of the back seat with a grunt.
Up in the second floor of his house, Ohno is working late at night, focused on a special painting. He gets up to stretch his tired back muscles and glances out of the window in the direction of Aiba’s doorstep out of habit - a habit he picked up shortly after getting to know his sunny neighbour. What he sees then surprises him.
A figure that looks suspiciously like Aiba is slumped over another, smaller man. They are nearly at Aiba’s doorstep, and the smaller man is staggering slightly with the effort. He manages to get a hand into Aiba’s pocket and rummages around, trying to find his house key.
Ohno doesn’t stop to think, and he rushes downstairs, whipping open the front door in a flash. Sho hears Ohno’s footsteps from the kitchen, where he is enjoying a cup of late-night hot chocolate, and follows him out the door a few seconds later.
The sudden sound of the neighbour’s door opening startles the smaller man, who almost drops Aiba, but manages to retain his hold.
The neighbours rush over and take over from Nino, who breathes a sigh of relief.
“Are you the Oh-chan and Sho-chan that Aiba’s always talking about?” Nino asks when he has caught his breath.
Sho introduces the two of them while Ohno nods. Nino relaxes, and the remaining creases of faint worry leave his face. He knows Aiba will be safe with them.
After installing Aiba in one of their beds, Nino makes his way home, waving away Sho’s protests.
=====
In the morning, Aiba opens his eyes to find that the pillow he was hugging in bed was warm and breathing. He decides that he probably had too much to drink the previous night, and tries to sit up.
The room is familiar, but it’s not his, and he corrects himself mentally. He definitely had too much to drink the previous night.
He blinks, realising that the pillow is actually one of his neighbours, and lets out a yelp.
“Oh-chan!”
Aiba nearly jumps out of bed, but the throbbing pain in his head has other ideas. He slumps back onto the bed, while Ohno gets up and tucks him back in.
“How did I get here? Did...did anything happen?”
He can’t read anything from the mysterious look in Ohno’s eyes, and his pounding head refuses to remember any of the sign language that he’d picked up so far, so he decides to wait for Sho to come and explain. At any rate, Aiba is relieved to find himself fully clothed. Ohno goes out of the room.
Sho comes in shortly with a glass of water, and says, “Satoshi is making scrambled eggs now. Are you okay? What happened last night?”
Aiba accepts the water gratefully and downs it while trying to fight through the haze in his mind.
“I… I don’t know, actually. I needed to clear my mind. I thought I liked someone, but they said… they already have someone they like.”
Sho nods, biting back the reprimand about drinking not solving problems that threatens to escape his lips. Instead, he listens as Aiba rambles on.
Realisation dawns on Sho’s face as Aiba describes Samii. When he gets to the part where Samii asked him for advice, Sho pats his hand soothingly and murmurs, “You did the right thing, Aiba-chan.”
“But that’s not all,” Aiba says, and explains his feelings towards Ohno as well.
Sho hums a little when Aiba finishes, and tells him to rest. “You’ve been through a lot, Aiba-chan, and thank you for sharing it with me.”
At that moment, Ohno brings in a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, motioning slightly at Sho, who gets up to eat his own portion at the dining area.
Aiba turns away slightly, tired from his explanations, but Ohno perches on Aiba’s side of the bed and holds a spoonful of egg towards his mouth. Aiba feels himself blushing, but accepts it. It is in this way that he finishes a plate of the fluffiest scrambled eggs he has ever had, and he tells Ohno as much. Ohno beams in delight, and it warms Aiba’s heart.
=====
Fortunately, the next couple of days are Aiba’s days off, and he takes the time to recover back at home. He thanks Ohno and Sho for their help, as well as Nino, who cheekily says that their next meal together would be on Aiba.
Ohno and Sho pop by a couple of times, just to make sure that Aiba is alright.
“You should explain it to him, Aiba-chan,” Sho urges. “Remember your advice to Samii.”
Aiba nods, but something holds him back.
=====
Aiba-chan doesn’t find a chance to talk to Ohno properly, until one day when Ohno arrives at his doorstep carrying a large, flat parcel.
Aiba lets him in, and he carries it to the living room, where he motions Aiba to unwrap it. Aiba does so, and inside is a beautiful painting that makes Aiba’s eyes moisten just a little.
There is also a note, and Aiba reads it out.
“Dear Aiba-chan,
I heard you admiring the paintings in our living room and I thought you might want one for yours, too.
Yours,
Ohno Satoshi
P.S. I like you.”
Aiba gasps a little when he reaches the end, and emotions swirl in his heart - mainly warm love for this sweet man, and regret that he was not completely invested in him, just because of a beautiful voice whose face he couldn’t see.
He decides to come clean to Ohno, seeing as it wouldn’t be fair to him because he also had feelings for Samii, so he sits both of them down into the couch.
Ohno’s eyes grow large in amazement while Aiba’s words flow out like a waterfall., Ohno takes some time to absorb it. As Aiba lapses into his final spiel, Ohno opens his mouth and stops him, saying, “Aiba-chan, wait,” and it shocks Aiba into silence.
It takes some time until Aiba manages to form coherent words. “You... you’re Samii?”
Internally, he slaps himself. He should have known that Ohno can speak, since Sho’s always telling him things that Ohno’s been saying. It’s just that this really is the first time Aiba is hearing Ohno’s voice, as well as seeing Samii’s voice come out of a real live person. Finding out that both the people whom he’s been having feelings for are simply one and the same - that is just a little much for Aiba to handle, and he needs some time.
Ohno smiles and nods in answer.
After a while, when Aiba has calmed down sufficiently, Ohno remembers the purpose of his visit.
He says slowly, “Remember you said to be brave and tell the person that I like them?”
Aiba nods, not daring to believe it.
Ohno isn’t done yet. “By the way, Aiba-chan, there’s always one question that I wanted to ask on Ask Aiba, but I never could.”
Ohno hesitates, and Aiba looks at him curiously. Taking a deep breath, Ohno dives in.
“Aiba-chan… will you be mine?”
A huge grin spreads over Aiba’s lips. “Yes,” he says, leaning into a kiss.
THE END
